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The Find : Softsnow's Kits
The Story Hello. My name is Softsnow. I'm a loner. My life as a kittypet was awful - and I dare not return to that lifestyle. Instead, I roam uncharted territory and live my life alone. It's often quiet when you walk alone - all you can hear is the wind, occasionally water rushing or animals running. The Twoleg cubs I see every so often are nice - they often give me pieces of food when I approach them. My stomach's admittedly a bit large, and I wish it was kits instead of fat. Due to my constant pecking at Twoleg food and kittypet food - it seems I've gained a bit of weight. Back to the fact of me wanting kits - it will never happen. I was taken to the cutter as a kit, and I cannot carry my own kits. I've always imagined my kits. Tiny bundles of joy, sleeping soundly beside me and purring as I tell them stories about my adventures across the forest. I imagine them running freely over the moors with their father - or learning how to climb the trees. Even if they were ugly, or if they were disabled - they would at least be mine. I was on a walk. It was a quiet afternoon. Small flowers popped up at the roots of the tall trees - and giant shrubs were covered with delicious berries. Greenleaf in the forest was splendid! The sounds! The smells! Unfortunately, the sky was not it's usual blue. The sky was grey - and heavy clouds seemed to block out the sun's warmth. "Ugh, what an awful day." I grumbled, glaring up at the clouds. "Shoo! I want some sun on my back!" I meowed angrily, smiling a little as I walked some more. The weather was getting worse - I could sense the dampness in the air. My fur was starting to tingle... it happens when it gets humid. The dry summer air combined with the moist air made my fur fuzz up. Shelter. I needed shelter. The rain was going to start soon. Maybe I could find somewhere to stay, maybe a clan nearby would allow me to stay for a night or two! As far as I could tell, there weren't any clans nearby. The Twolegplace was in the near distance, but the whole place was awful. Twolegplace was cramped, full of Twolegs, monsters roamed the area and it was quite smelly. 'No way I'd go there. Never again.' I thought, swishing my tail as I took a few steps back. I knew other cats lived there, but I heard most didn't live there happily. After all, dogs lived in Twolegplace - and there was Twoleg poision on almost everything. Rain began to fall - tiny droplets splashed against the full, green grass. A few landed on my forehead. The rain was still light - shelter could wait. I was starved, I needed food. The river was nearby - maybe there would be some fish to catch! I galloped towards the river - staring hungrily into the shallow waves. I quickly scanned the surface, looking for silhouettes. "Ah-ha!" I yowled, my paws shooting into the water. A fish! It wasn't that big - but it was certainly trying to get out of my paws! It splashed it's strong tail at me, sending up cold water into my face. "Stop that!" I hissed, digging my hind claws into the ground as I heaved the fish out of the water, and onto the shore. The fish's sides were gashed by my claws, blood clotting in it's wounds. It flopped uselessly - and I waited patiently for it to go still. It's big glassy eyes slowly went a milky white - and it's tail hit the ground. Licking my lips, I opened my mouth - ready to take the first mouthful. "Pardon me, my dear." My fur fluffed up - and I slowly turned my head. Behind me was an elderly looking cat. He was a light brown with extravagant tabby markings, his muzzle silver from age. His green eyes stared straight at me, and I forced myself to look back. "Yes, I'm talking to you." He chuckled. "Would you mind sparing a bite or two?" He asked. I bit my lip - looking at the fish. It was a fine catch - and I was starving. However - the tom was obviously even hungrier. His cheekbones were well defined and his ribs were visible. "No, please! Take it all!" I meowed. "You must be starving." I said. The tom gasped. "I couldn't! It is your catch!" He croaked. I shook my head. "You deserve it more than I do." I said quietly. "Thank you!" He dipped his head. "Thank you so much! You are very kind." He dipped his head again - leaning down to take a bite of the fish. He tore out a chunk of raw flesh, smacking his lips as he chewed. I watched him eat, my stomach growling. I fought back the urge to ask for it back. Once he finished, he licked his paws, flicking the fish's remaining spine back into the water. "Oh, that was absolutely wonderful. I haven't eaten in a quarter-moon." He told me. My jaw dropped. "A quarter-moon?" I echoed. "Thank Starclan you ate that!" I sighed. "I ate this morning - and to think I'm still hungry." I added. "Hmm." The tom nodded. "Well - young Softsnow - I do believe you are one of a kind." "Aww- wait." My gaze hardened. "How do you know my name?" I asked, claws unsheathed. "Have you been spying on me?" I narrowed my eyes as the tom let out a soft chuckle. "No, I'm not a spy. I'm just an elderly tom." He said. "But, I was a medicine cat a long time ago - but my abilities are far beyond the average cat's." He said. "I am Lizardeye." He meowed. "I have the ability to read minds, so to speak. I understand prophecies... I can see it all." Lizardeye said. I frowned. "You're bluffing, aren't you?" I said, not convinced. Lizardeye shook his head. "Softsnow. Allow me to prove myself." He said - green eyes wide. "Fine, but please make it quick - the rain is getting alot harder." I could feel the hard pellets on the back of my neck. "I need to find a shelter for the night - and so do you." "Yes, yes - I know." Lizardeye said. "Now - Softsnow. Since you were young, you've wanted your own kits. You expect them to be perfect - but they are a dream... You are unable to have and carry kits." I stared at him, eyes wide. "Shall I continue?" Lizardeye stopped to ask, narrowing one eye. I nodded. "However, on the night of the half moon-" "That's tonight!" I blurted out. Lizardeye smiled and nodded. "Oh - sorry. Continue, please!" I said with a dip of my head. "There will be a battle. When the end has come, you shall take two under your soft wings." He said. There was a silence between the two of us - I just sat there, staring at the dirt. "You remember that now, Softsnow." He said. "There will be a battle. When the end has come, and you shall take two under your soft wings." He repeated. "Lizardeye, I don't-" The tabby had disappeared. I looked to my left, and to my right. I looked up and down. "Lizardeye?" I cried. "Lizardeye, where are you?" The tom was gone. He vanished! I stared at the water, and at my face. "I don't understand." I whispered. Maybe it would all make sense after another calming walk. I got up, kicking at the shore as I leaped into the grass. It was extremely eerie now. A battle? The end? Take two of what? It made less and less sense the more I repeated Lizardeye's words. Perhaps I needed to sleep. I found a nice patch of leaves at the roots of a tree - possibly an abandoned raccoon nest. The smell was faint, and I climbed in to rest. "Battle, end, two." I whispered. "Battle, end, two." I said - slowly beginning to drift into sleep. A piercing cry awoke me. The rain had gotten much harder - but the clouds cleared enough to allow the white moonlight to shine down over the wet grass. "Hang on! I'm coming!" I yowled, pulling myself out of the hole. I ran across the slippery grass - more hissing and growling becoming audible. My paws slipped across the mud - but I fought to stay up and running. It suddenly occurred to me! It was the battle! The battle Lizardeye had spoken of! My heartbeat quickened - the rest was still to come! Hopefully, it wasn't going to be scary. Just then, I saw a ginger cat running - straight towards me! I gasped, unsheathing my claws as she approached. Her face was badly scratched, her fur was ripped. Blood leaked from her open wounds. The ginger cat landed just a tail-length away from me - landing with a harsh and loud thud. She extended one paw towards me, showing her sheathed claws. "Holy Silverpelt!" I gasped, dropping to her side and licking her wounds. "What happened?!" She opened her mouth to speak. "Dogs... They're everywhere... My clan needs me... " She said - coughing. Her eyes went cloudy - and the she-cat lay dead in the grass. I sat beside her, smoothing her ruffled fur with my tongue. By the look of it, this warrior fought with her life. She must've been as fierce as a lion. I left her in the rain, guiltily walking away from her body. Where she came running from - I could hear the yowls of cats. I could hear the awful barking of the dogs. Quickly, I darted behind a rock, watching the battle. There were so many dogs! At least a dozen! The bodies of dead cats littered the camp - and one dog lay limp amoung the crowd. It was a massacre! No one survived, it seemed... I waited for the dogs to leave - trying not to breathe loudly, I slowly entered as they exited the camp. "Hello?" I said, darting towards the closest cat and prodding it. It didn't move - and it didn't respond. "Hello?" I said to another nearby cat. It's fur was already extremely cold. I quickly ran across the entire camp , checking each den and behind every rock. Everything this camp must've had was gone... "Lizardeye - why did you tell me that stupid prophecy-thing?" I whimpered. "This is awful!" I sniffed. Tears flowed down my face. "W-Why did I listen to you?" I cried, kicking a pebble out of the earth. "H-Hello?" I heard a tiny voice squeak. I looked down to see a small brown kit - nested up beside a dead she-cat. "Brightfeather?" She whimpered, kneading at the she-cat's stomach. "Brightfeather! Wake up!" She called - her front paws on the cat's cheek as she shouted into it's ear. I stared at the kit, feeling my legs tremble with discomfort. "She's dead, little one." I said to the kit. "She died in the battle." How did I miss this tiny kit? The kit stared up at me, I could see her frown. "What do you mean? I think she's just asleep." The kit said, bitterness buttering her tone. "Brightfeather! It's me! Pepperkit!" The kit called, licking the dead cat's cheek. "Wake up, please! The dogs are gone!" "Pepperkit, Brightfeather's dead." I meowed. "See? She's not breathing." I meowed, pointing at Brightfeather's motionless stomach. "If she was alive, Pepperkit - it would be moving up and down." Pepperkit placed a fat paw on Brightfeather's stomach. I could tell she was waiting for something to happen - just to prove me wrong. "W-Why?" Pepperkit's eyes bubbled with tears, and she ran up to me - tightly grabbing onto one of my legs with her entire body. "I want my mom back!" She cried. "Now no one will take care of me anymore!" I could feel her tiny claws digging into my leg. "Dad! Mom!" I heard another small voice. "Wake up! Please! You can't be dead!" I turned. Another kit! Where did they both come from? I hadn't noticed them when I looked around the ghost-camp the first time! "C'mon, the stupid dogs are gone!" "Everyone's dead, Flamekit!" Pepperkit sobbed. "Your mom, your dad, my mom, everyone is gone!" Flamekit turned to stare at Pepperkit and I. "I'm staying with them." He said angrily. "I'll protect them from the dogs - if they ever come back!" The kit said, puffing his chest as he tucked himself under the dead tom's forearm. "Flamekit... It isn't safe! What if the dogs come back? They'll kill you!" I said to the kit, slowly walking towards him with Pepperkit still latched to my leg. "I said I'll protect them!" Flamekit answered- his blue eyes were tearful. "With my life! I love them both so much!" The tears flooded down his face. "I-I can't imagine living without them!" He added, wiping an eye with the back of his paw. "Come here." I said softly, extending a paw. "You'll be safer if you stay with me." I added as Flamekit came closer - sobbing into my fur as I lowered down beside him. "Will you and Pepperkit come with me? I promise I will protect you with my life." Flamekit sniffed. "What about my mom and dad?" He whimpered. "They will still be in your heart." I told him, gently reaching down to pick him up with my teeth. Pepperkit had climbled onto my shoulder, and was beginning to fall asleep. The rain was still falling hard - I needed to find a shelter for the kits. "C'mon, let's find somewhere to rest." We trudged through the rain - and I could hear Pepperkit's soft squeaks for her mother. "Brightfeather! Brightfeather!" She murmured, beginning to wildly kick her hind legs. The young kit was probably dreaming. We had travelled far away from the camp - it was at least a dozen foxlengths away now. I looked around for a tree - thankfully, an old oak was providing some shelter. I took soft steps towards the tree, setting Flamekit down next to my belly as I lay down. Pepperkit woke with a jolt. "I had a nightmare!" She said, her fur was sweaty and ruffled. "Who's gonna take care of us? Where are we?" I ran my tongue over Pepperkit's fur. "Hush, my dear. You're okay now." I told her. Pepperkit whimpered, pushing herself closer against my chest. "I'm going to look after you two." I looked down. "Only - I can't make milk for you two." I said, feeling rather stupid that I hadn't remembered that. 'Kits need milk, don't they?' "It's okay, my dad already has me eating prey. It's a bit hard to each sometimes. But - no, we don't need milk." Flamekit piped, pawing at my tail. Pepperkit nodded in agreement. Okay." I said horsely. Now the only think I needed to know was if they'd accept me. I hoped they would... Lizardeye's words echoed in my mind again. "The two." I breathed. Pepperkit and Flamekit were the two! They were my responsibility. "Oh sweet Starclan! You don't know how glad I am." I whispered joyfully, closing my eyes. I opened them to see both kits staring up at me, obviously confused by why I was whispered. "Ahem- sorry. Pepperkit, Flamekit - I hope you don't mind, but I'm going to be your mother now." I purred. "Is- Is that alright?" Flamekit nodded. "That would be amazing. Thank you, Softsnow..." The young kit whispered. At first I was shocked the kit knew my name - but I just licked his head instead. "It's my pleasure." I meowed- tucking both kits into my stomach. The rain kept falling, splashing across the newly forming puddles. Thunder boomed in the distance - but I cared none for the noise. I swept my tail over Flamekit and Pepperkit, shielding them from the falling rain. They are the two gifts I would never give up. THE END Alliances (in order of appearance) Softsnow - A persian she-cat with silky white fur and blue eyes. "The Find : Softsnow's Kits" is told in the perspective of Softsnow. Lizardeye - A mysterious old tomcat with a brown tabby coat and bulging green eyes. Flutterleaf - A ginger she-cat. Pepperkit - A light-brown she-cat with amber eyes. Brightfeather - A ginger-and-brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes. Flamekit - A flame-red tomcat with blue eyes. Flamekit's Mother - A dark-yellow tabby. Flamekit's Father - A ginger tomcat. Category:Fanfiction Category:Short Stories